My Shot
by Scholastica
Summary: A debate between Iowa and Saratoga over the historical merits of the "Hamilton" stage musical leads to the shipgirls deciding to perform the Broadway hit on their own!
1. Setting the Stage

This is my first Kantai Collection story. Please read and review!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Setting the Stage**

The spray of ocean water on Fubuki's legs was the only source of cool comfort for the current leader of Destroyer Division 11. Droplets of perspiration trickled down her bare arms, and matted hair clung to the back of her neck. Skating across the face of the waters back to the naval base, Fubuki felt more like she and her division mates were fleeing from the late morning's heat.

" _This is the song that never ends; it goes on and on, my friends."_

Also fleeing from that song, if it could be called that. Fubuki still could not tell if the lifeless drone Hatsuyuki used in lieu of a singing voice made the tune more or less bearable. From behind her, Fubuki could hear Miyuki groaning with increasing irritation.

"Hatsuyuki, I swear I will sink you if you singing that stupid song for one more minute!" she snapped.

"Death would be a welcome change of pace from the absolute nothing we've done all morning." Hatsuyuki replied.

Hatsuyuki did have a point. Though uneventful patrols always seemed to drag on, Fubuki had figured the sheer monotony of their recent excursions was the primary contributor to their feeling of extra length. Yesterday, however, when organizing old patrol reports she realized they really had been getting longer every week with a slight extension to the time spent out. Enough for the shipgirls to complain about when they noticed, but also short enough to drop from memory when the destroyers adjusted to the new timeframe. Added together, the extra time made their patrols longer by almost 50%. Fubuki understood that with the war winding down the military was keen on having the shipgirls 'look busy' to avoid reassignment and budget cuts but surely there was a better way to spend their time.

Hatsuyuki quieted down after Miyuki's warning, but resumed her dry, solo sea chanty after a few minutes. _"Some sailors went to sea, sea, sea, to see what they could see, see, see."_

"I'll sink you, Hatsuyuki!" Miyuki threatened through a groan.

"You wouldn't with all these witnesses."

"I'll sink you and pay them for their silence."

"You already spent all your allowance."

"I'll sink you and pay them for their silence with _your_ allowance."

"Good luck finding that."

"Sock drawer. You put all your extra cash in that one grey sock you keep in the back corner."

Fubuki could hear a splash as Hatsuyuki stumbled "Wha- How did you find out?" She cried. "Did you take my money?"

As Miyuki gave vague, teasing answers and Hatsuyuki uncharacteristically shrieked at her, Fubuki wiped the sweat off her brow. She caught the eye of Shirayuki, steaming along parallel to her several meters away, just as the pigtailed girl looked back from the bickering duo behind them. Shirayuki rolled her eyes but gave a good-natured shrug at the antics of their sister ships before turning her attention ahead of her. She perked up almost at once.

"Look! We're home!" Shirayuki exclaimed with relief.

Fubuki held a hand up over her eyes and squinted. Just over the horizon she could make out the island their base was located on, its outline becoming more concrete as they got nearer. Fubuki sighed in relief. It would not be much longer now, she told herself. They would dock, shed their riggings, maybe take a quick bath, and she would be just in time to meet with her friends for lunch.

Hatsuyuki started singing again.

* * *

An hour later, after being debriefed and storing their equipment, DesDiv 11 were on their way back to the destroyer dormitory.

"That's it for us until this evening's practice." Fubuki informed the girls after they left Ooyodo's office. No sooner were they out of the gently lit, air conditioned administrative quarters did they wince as the oppressive summer heatwave pounded down on them once more.

"Great. So until this evening, I'm going back to my room." Hatsuyuki slouched off towards the dorms.

Fubuki could not fault her sister for wanting to immediately shelter indoors the minute they were free. By now it was clear today was going to be a scorcher. Fubuki found herself no more eager to be out in the sun be it on land or sea than Hatsuyuki. The sentiment was shared by Shirayuki and Miyuki, who filed in after Fubuki to join Hatsuyuki in heading for the destroyer dorm.

"So what are your plans now then?" Shirayuki asked the group as they strolled along. "I was thinking grabbing a chance of clothes and then hitting the baths."

"I think I'll join you." Miyuki said. "Need to wash off this sweat. I smell like the inside of a boiler room. What about you, Fubuki?"

"I do want to take a bath." Fubuki admitted. "But I'm going to be late for lunch with Mutsuki and Yuudachi."

The regular walk to their rooms involved a long, convoluted pathway which snaked its way around the mess of buildings that formed the naval base before stopping at the destroyer dorm. DesDiv 11 opted to cut through the backdoor of battleship dormitory, a shortcut every destroyer who called the base home learned soon after arriving. Going into and out of the dorm for the older girls, Fubuki and her sisters involved themselves in happy chatter until they arrived at the garden in front. No sooner had they left the building did they pick up angry voices from around the corner of the dorm.

"But that's not how it happened!"

"Oh. My. God! It's theater, not a freaking textbook!"

"That's not an excuse!"

"It's artistic license!"

The destroyers wavered. The part of them that was naval warships, trained to be respectful of their seniors, to not pry in the affairs of others, to listen and not speak, told them to not go around the corner and avoid making a scene of the two shipgirls arguing. The part of them that was teenage girls, on the other hand, was insatiably curious both for the sake of knowledge and for the sake of wanting the latest base gossip.

"But it isn't the truth! It's turning real life events into distorted pop history!"

"Jesus Christ, it's not trying to be the truth! It's a narrative!"

The teenage girl side won out. Fubuki peaked around the corner, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. The other girls followed, creating a totem pole of destroyers trying to not look like they were eavesdropping.

It came as a surprise to no one in DesDiv 11 that the two people quarrelling were Iowa and Saratoga. Only the Americans could argue that loud without actually shouting. A huffy-looking Saratoga was pacing in front of the picnic table set up by Kongou for her tea time snacks, glancing scornfully at its sole, seated occupant. With a soda can in one hand and both feet up on another chair, Iowa looked more exasperated than anything else.

"People are going to think this is how it really happened!"

"Then go make them watch a documentary or School House Rock or something!"

The destroyers watched, fascinated at the ongoing argument even if the context totally eluded them.

"What are they arguing about?" Hatsuyuki whispered.

"No clue."

"Me neither."

Fubuki let her silence speak for her. Her attention was entirely on Saratoga. She had never seen the American carrier so agitated before. Then again, Fubuki did not have a lot of chances to interact with Saratoga all that often.

"Yahoo!"

Four destroyers all but leapt out of their skins and definitely did leap out from behind the cover of the wall. Crouching below everyone else, Hatsuyuki tried to rise and flee only to crash into Miyuki. Miyuki was thrown off balance and lost her footing, tumbling to the ground and taking Hatsuyuki underneath her. Shirayuki's foot got caught underneath her downed sister ships, resulting in her tripping over both of them when she tried to run, but not before she tried to take hold of the closest thing graspable to keep herself up. The most graspable thing turned out o by Fubuki's left arm, which did a horrible job of keeping both girls up. Shirayuki landed on Miyuki, and pulled Fubuki down with her. Fortunately for Hatsuyuki lungs, Fubuki did not land on the dogpile, falling instead into the grass next to her division mates, landing face forward and getting a mouthful of grass and dirt.

"Hi! Watchoo doing?" A sing-song voice came from above the destroyer heap. After spitting out the chunk of lawn stuck in her teeth, Fubuki looked up to see the cheery face of Naka looking down on them. "Spying, are we?" she said with a mischievous grin.

"What the heck was that?"

The commotion brought the Americans over. Iowa turned her attention to the destroyers just as Miyuki rolled herself enough to drop Shirauki off her back, only for Shirayuki to land on Fubuki, prompting a yelp from the latter. Iowa stopped a foot before the heap of bodies and leaned over them, her broad face breaking into a grin over their predicament. In a tone as amused as it was questioning she asked, "What are you doing down there?"

Fubuki wracked her brain for an excuse.

"We weren't eavesdropping! Honest!"

 _Dammit, Miyuki._ Shirayuki stumbled to her feet at last, and Fubuki jumped up right after. Both stood ramrod straight before bowing in apology.

"We're sorry!" Fubuki said. "We just couldn't help but overhear your…" – it seemed rude to call it an argument – "discussion and, um, we…"

Iowa's single raised eyebrow told Fubuki just how unimpressive she found the explanation. She turned from Fubuki to Naka. Naka just shrugged.

"I was just returning some magazines Ise lent me." The cruiser said.

"Actually, maybe it's a good thing you kids are here." Iowa said. "You can help us with a little debate we've been having.

"Iowa, they don't know the first thing about _Hamilton_." Saratoga said.

"They don't have to, it's the gist of the issue I want their opinions on. You guys come here."

Iowa beckoned the destroyers and Naka to the lawn table. Naka moved forward and the destroyers followed in tow. Iowa and Saratoga let their guests have the chairs while they stood over them. Battleship and carrier looked at each other then back at the assembled group. Fubuki felt like a student about to take a test she had not studied for.

"Okay, first off. Have any of you ever heard of _Hamilton_?" Iowa asked.

Only Naka raised her hand. "I have!" she exclaimed. "It's an American stage musical, right? I saw an idol group doing a cover of some of the songs."

"Correct!" Iowa said. She seemed to consider this some sort of triumph. "So a musical can help people even on this side of the Pacific appreciate history. Ha, burn!" That last exclamation was accompanied by a finger poking Saratoga's cheek.

Saratoga slapped her hand away. "Naka, do you remember any of the subjects of the songs you listened to?"

"I dunno. They were all in English."

The expressions on Iowa and Saratoga's faces switched places.

"Oh, yes. They can so appreciate history they can't even understand." Saratoga said with sweet sarcasm.

"Whatever." Iowa waved off Saratoga's words. "It's beside the point anyway. Alright kids, real question: Is it acceptable for historical fiction to take creative liberties for the sake of the narrative?"

The cicadas chirping might as well have been the answer.

Fubuki tried to process the question. "Um, Is it alright for history... to be creative for... narrative..."

Hatsuyuki put the girls' lack of understanding more succinctly: "Is it what for what to what for what?"

Saratoga covered her mouth to stifle the obvious laughter. Iowa seemed to deflate in defeat.

"I sounded so smart there." Iowa whined. "Alright, uh, how else should I put this? Is it alright when a movie, or book, TV show -"

"Or musical." Saratoga interjected.

"Or musical," Iowa repeated, "based on actual historical events changes how some of the historical events happened to make the story more better."

"More better?" Saratoga echoed. "That's not even proper grammar. And don't you mean more sensationalized? Or more dumbed down? Or more agenda driven?"

"Let them answer before you go off on another tangent, Saratoga!" Iowa exclaimed.

Saratoga made a face, but heeded Iowa's words. They both turned again to the occupants of the table. Fubuki looked around the table at the others. They looked at her. Not for the first time she cursed her nameship Privilege, the unspoken rule that as the eldest sister she got to be first in most matter, with the trade-off that when something no one in the group wanted to do she "volunteered" to be first. As the leader of the _Fubuki_ -class she did what any leader would do in this situation. She passed it on to her senior.

Destroyer squadron flagship Naka had been content to not get involved in the debate, but now Iowa, Saratoga, and DesDiv 11 were all looking at her expectantly. This was not the kind of attention she liked to be the center of, Fubuki knew, and she could practically see the gears turning in the cruiser's head as she tried to think of a crowd pleasing answer.

"Uhhhhhhh."

"It would be better if the story was as accurate as possible," Fubuki interjected. Naka shot a grateful look at her savior. Both Saratoga and Iowa opened their mouths but Fubuki rushed her next words out before either could speak. "But sometimes there are constraints you have to work around!"

"See?" Iowa said. "She hasn't even seen the play and she gets it."

"Except she's talking about practical constraints, you're trying to defend 'artistic license." Saratoga said.

"Sara, you haven't even seen the show. What happened to don't knock it till you tried it?"

"I don't need to see it. I can recognize half-baked history without having to suffer through the entire thing!"

Iowa looked ready to blow a cannon. "Then. Just. Watch it!" she said through gritted teeth, fist pounding the air at the end of each word.

"Oh, yes. I'll sail all the way to New York right this instance." Saratoga rolled her eyes.

"Forget New York. It's a musical! All you need are people who can act and sing!" Iowa shouted. "Hell, we can do it! I'll put on the damn show right here!" She looked at the assembled destroyers and Naka. "Hey, you want to be in a musical?"

"Musical? I want to be the star! I want to be the star!" Naka leapt from her chair with glee

"The main character is a guy."

Naka deflated. "Never mind." She muttered before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Iowa caught her arm. "I know a way you can help! You want to be the music director?"

"Music director?" Naka's head tilted quizzically.

"You're the best singer in the fleet! We could use your help to coach and conduct all the musical numbers! All the songs would depend on you!"

"On me…" Naka's voice trailed off as she got lost in thought.

"Your name will be on all the programs." Iowa added.

"Okay! Deal!" Naka shouted, all but leaping with excitement.

Ignoring the baffled stares of Saratoga and the destroyers the two started making plans right then and there for their stage production. "Ohmygosh, this is going to be so great! I'll need the music and the choreography, song scripts, and everyone is going to need to clear their schedules for rehearsal time."

"Sweet! I can get you all except the last one." Iowa said. "Need to actually get a cast together first."

"How are you going to that?"

"Leave that to them." Iowa said with a finger pointing to the destroyers.


	2. Casting Call

Thanks to iron maker2, snake screamer, Obsessed Nuker, and gaiawolf for the lovely comments. Please read and review!

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Casting Call**

 **AUDITION!**

 **DESTROYERS WANTED**

 **TO STAR IN**

 **NAVAL BASE THEATER PRODUCTION'S**

 **RENDITION OF BROADWAY HIT MUSICAL**

 _ **HAMILTON!**_

"Why are we, like, helping put these up?" Yuudachi grumbled as she taped a flyer to the window in front of Mamiya's shop.

"Oh, come on, Yuudachi, don't be like that." Mutsuki said. "Fubuki would have taken forever to put up all these by herself."

Fubuki had not technically been by herself since the other three members of DesDiv 11 were also putting up flyers around the base. However, Naka had assigned her the largest stack of flyers and the most ground to cover. In the midst of struggling to keep up with the whirlwind pace which Iowa and Naka dragged along the destroyers Fubuki completely forgot that she made plans to meet her friends until after bumping into them when they went out to find her. Fubuki had not even asked for the help. After she explained what happened Mutsuki just gave her a sympathetic look, took the stack and divided it into three equal parts, then took one set for herself and handed the last one to Yuudachi.

"I'm sorry about this." Fubuki apologized anyway, feeling guilty that their friendship caused the other girls to take on an extra chore.

"Hey, there's no worries!" Mutsuki said. "It's for a fun thing, right? I've never seen a musical before."

"Well, we're not going to see it until we get all the parts filled." Fubuki said.

"What are you playing, Fubuki?" Yuudachi asked.

The question caught Fubuki off guard, having never occurred to her in the first place. "Me? Oh, I'm not in the play. I'm just helping Iowa and Naka." She thought about the two overeager shipgirls with ideas running faster than practicality could handle. "To tell you the truth, I don't think that many people will be interested."

"Really?" For the first time since she started putting them up, Yuudachi took a moment to read one of the flyers in her hand. "I was, like, thinking of doing it."

Surprise wrote itself all over the faces of Fubuki and Mutsuki.

"Since when have you been interested in theater?" Mutsuki asked.

"It's going to be a musical, isn't it? I can sing. I've been doing karaoke with Naka every Monday!"

Yuudachi had mentioned that fact several times over the past few months. Fubuki still somehow managed to forget it until reminded, like just now.

"What's going to be a musical? Why are we singing?"

Fubuki turned to see the nameship of the _Kagerou_ -class standing at the entrance. The three friends greeted Kagerou as she approached and Kagerou responded with a small wave of her own.

"Where's Shiraniu?" Mutsuki asked. The first and second destroyers of the _Kagerou-_ class were almost never seen apart.

"With her therapist." Kagerou said.

Fubuki changed the subject. "Iowa and Naka are putting on a show and are asking destroyers to audition for parts. Do you want to try it out?"

She offered a flyer to Kagerou, who accepted it with piqued curiosity. " _Hamilton_? What's that?"

Fubuki explained the plot as she understood it, trying to make it sound exciting. Kagerou listened with dubious interest, which grew brighter when Fubuki mentioned the battles and shootouts in the story. Yuudachi joined in, reaffirming her intent to audition which only made Kagerou more interested. By the time they were done, Kagerou walked off with flyer in hand and a promise to consider auditioning.

"That's one!" Yuudachi said with glee.

"That's one what, Yuudachi?"

Kamikaze, the one who asked the question, and Harukaze strolled in, questions on their faces as they noticed the stack of flyers their older sister held. Yuudachi beamed at her friends, Mutsuki grinned, and even Fubuki cracked a smile. Perhaps this would turn into something after all. The trio all rushed to hand the incoming destroyers a flyer

Meanwhile, Kagerou had found a seat and a juice box to sip on while she read the audition flyer when she felt a light smack in the back of her head. More surprised than stung, Kagerou looked up in annoyance to see a smirking Akebono walking around the table to sit opposite of Kagerou. Ushio followed right beside her, flashing Kagerou an apologetic smile as she also took a seat.

"Hey." Akebono greeted. "What's up?"

"See for yourself." Kagerou pushed the flyer to her. "They want to make us movie stars or something."

"Musical, not movie." Nagatsuki said as she too arrived and took a spot beside Kagerou.

"What's the difference? Aren't musicals movies?" Kagerou asked. Not that she ever availed herself to musical movies, Kagerou liked her films like she liked her battles; full of action and explosions. The less waiting around and talking the better. But the bald Australian admiral she worked under while stationed in New Guinea believed with a passion that no decent movies had been made after the Sixties, resulting in several Friday movie nights of Kagerou falling asleep to _The Sound of Music_ and _West Side Story._ She never did find out if Maria and Tony got together.

"A musical is a stage play. Movies are filmed. It says 'Broadway Hit' right there." Nagatsuki said, as if the last sentence should have made that obvious.

"What's Broadway then?" Kagerou huffed, not liking new words being thrown at her.

"Wow, could you be any more uncultured?" Akebono snickered.

"Oh, screw you, Akebono." Kagerou rolled her eyes. "Like you know what that is either."

"Of course I do!" Akebono declared, flipping her hair with a haughty hand movement.

The table went quiet. Akebono's arrogant expression remained fixed on her face as she tried to ignore the looks of expectation on Kagerou and Nagatsuki. She opened her mouth, words almost forming. Kagerou and Nagatsuki leaned in.

"T-tell them, Ushio." Akebono nudged her sister. "Tell them what I know."

Kagerou coughed, "Cop-out." while Nagatsuki snickered.

"Broadway is the place in America where they show all the famous theater plays." Ushio explained to Kagerou.

"Okay, I guess I'm enlightened now." Kagerou said with a shrug.

"Are you going to audition?" Ushio pressed.

"Thinking about it, yeah."

"Since when have you been the musical type?"

"Since I got nothing else to do around here." Kagerou said. "Ever since Hawaii we've barely had anyone to fight. All month long it's been practice, patrol, practice, patrol, eat, sleep, repeat. This looks like it can be fun!"

"Or at least a change of pace." Nagatsuki said. She looked at her audition flyer, reading through all the available parts. "What are you going to try out for?"

Glancing at the list, Kagerou pointed at the only name she recognized. "This one: George Washington."

It was a little after noon now as more shipgirls trickled into Mamiya's for lunch. It did not take long for everyone to notice the flyers and soon Fubuki and company just passed out the leftover ones to individuals as they came in. A few thought nothing of it, a few expressed mild interest, and more than a few proved to be like Kagerou. Within minutes, most of the destroyers assembled into their social groups and the musical became the hot topic of discussion.

"Naturally, a lady like myself will be the lead!" Akatsuki proclaimed at one table.

"But the lead is supposed to be a man." Ikazuchi pointed out.

"What? Then why are we using girls for the cast?"

"Girls can play boy parts and boys can play girl parts." Inazuma said. "They used to play each other's parts all the time back in the old day."

"Well this isn't the old days and I don't want to play a boy!"

"Harasho."

At another table, the odd duo of Shimakaze and Asashio discussed auditioning as well.

"Needs to sing fast? I can do that! No one can beat me in speed!" Shimakaze declared with bravado.

"Singing fast and singing well aren't the same thing." Asashio pointed out. "You need to memorize how to say the lyrics exactly or you'll just trip over your tongue."

"I guess the honor student will be the one rapping then?"

"I didn't say that. There's no way I'm going to debase myself by singing in public."

"What are you getting at? Singing's a navy tradition! Apologize to the navy choir!"

"We have a navy choir?"

At yet another table, Shiratsuyu proclaimed with gusto, "It's gotta be me! I'm not throwing away my shot to be number one!"

"And I'm not throwing away my shot to beat the _Kagerou_ -class!" _Kagerou in particular_. Asagumo thought as she shouted back at her tablemate. "I'll show her! I can out-George Washington her any day! I'm gonna Washington so hard she'll be bowing in defeat! I'm gonna be the most Washingtonest Washington you ever saw!"

Asagumo did not know who George Washington was, but if Kagerou thought she could play him, how hard could it be?

From a table in the corner, Yuugumo turned her head towards the girls causing a ruckus, wondering what all the commotion was about. She noticed the flyers decorating everywhere but morning training worked up an appetite and she was too hungry to give them any attention beyond a passing glace. Resolving to inspect what the rest of the destroyers were so interested in after eating, Yuugumo turned her attention back to her meal. Except the curry was blocked from sight by an animated, waving audition flyer almost right on top of her nose. Yuugumo yelped, instinctively leaning back as Asashimo thrust the paper ever closer to her face.

"Big Sis! Big Sis! We totally need to sign up!" Asashimo shouted. "Can you see it? Us on stage as stars! Totally famous on – Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Yuugumo yanked Asashimo's ear harder, pulling her little sister onto the bench next to her. Through a forced grin she whispered, "Sit down, be quiet, and don't embarrass us!"

"Ow! Right! I'm sorry!" Asashimo whimpered before Yuugumo at last let go.

"Now, from the top, what is this about?" Yuugumo asked.

Still wincing and rubbing her reddened ear, Asashimo held up the flyer at a respectable distance this time. Yuugumo took it from her and scanned the bombastic lettering. "You want to star in a musical?"

"Hellz yeah! I mean, yes. I mean, wouldn't you like to as well?"

"The thought's never really crossed my mind."

"But I think you'd be great!"

Yuugumo pointed to the cast description at the bottom of the flyer. "This says the lead is man. I don't want to play a boy."

Asashimo pointed a little further down the cast list. ""But look! There's a big role here for three sisters! We can audition for these parts!"

So there was. Yuugumo scanned the description for each of the "Schyler Sister" roles. Naturally drawn to the eldest, Angelica Schyler, she read and reread the requirements for the role.

"I can do this." She said, more to herself than her sister.

Asashimo responded anyway, "I know right? This totally fits you! And I can play one of the other sisters, and we'll get Naganami, or Kazegumo, or somebody who likes that girly girl stuff to do the other! And the others can try out for the other parts! It'll be a big Yuugumo Sisters project!"

Yuugumo could not help but forgive her sister's earlier misbehavior at those words. As far as she was concerned, nothing trumped quality time with family in importance. Different schedules kept all the _Yuugumo_ -class destroyers present at the base from all meeting up regularly except for a short amount of time before lights out at night and early morning before everyone went to work. That Asashimo took the initiative to start a family project filled Yuugumo with pride.

"Uh, Yuugumo? Why are you looking at me like that – Ack!"

Asashimo struggled to keep herself from tilting off the bench as Yuugumo threw an arm around her and brought the younger destroyer in for an awkward side hug.

"Hey! What gives, Sis?" Asashimo protested, struggling to break free.

"You're a good little sister, Asashimo." Yuugumo cooed, tightening the embrace hugging over embarrassed protests.

Before long some of the girls began playing video clips of the Broadway production on their phones. Others downloaded the soundtrack and flipped through the songs to get a feel for it. Whole tables of friends were already discussing and divvying up the parts among themselves to audition for. Elsewhere rivals and self-declared rivals challenged others for the same part. Girls took not only flyers for themselves, but for sisters and squadmates not present. By the end of lunch, Fubuki was out of flyers.

Off to the side, Yuudachi shot Fubuki a smug smile. "So, like, what was that about nobody being interested?"

* * *

Who will audition? Who will make the cut? Find out next time! Please review!


	3. Auditions, Part 1

Thanks for the reviews and the patience! Here's Chapter Three for your viewing pleasure!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the properties mentioned.

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Auditions, Part 1**

The sight of a gaggle of destroyers forming a rough line inside the battleship dorm usually meant someone was trying to buy their affections with ice cream. Today, however, the shipgirls did not queue up for sweets, but their shot at stardom. There was not even a straight line, as those coming to audition were joined by well-wishers clumping into groups for moral support.

"You totally got this, you guys!" Mutsuki said to Yuudachi and Kisaragi.

To Fubuki's surprise Mutsuki met up with her the day after they put up the flyers and announced Kisaragi would also audition. Kisaragi had become withdrawn as of late, leaving her room only when coaxed and keeping her conversation participation to the bare minimum. That she took the initiative to try out on her own Fubuki found encouraging.

"Totally! Like, we've been practicing all week. This is in the bag." Yuudachi declared, brimming with confidence.

Kisaragi said nothing, but her small smile spoke demure assurance on its own.

Fubuki wanted to feel that same assurance. She almost did, Yuudachi glow was practically rubbing off on her. Yet even as she grinned she took notice of how many destroyers joined them at the audition. Way more than were needed for all the parts, which meant some girls were going to leave today very disappointed.

Just ahead of them, the 6th DesDiv sisters were equally confident their auditions were as good as passed already. Ikazuchi, Fubuki knew, wanted the same role as Yuudachi. Akatsuki could not make up her mind over which role she wanted and so resorted to picking one from a hat. Hibiki's hat, to be precise. Hibiki herself and Inazuma chose not to audition. Like Mutsuki, they just came along for support.

Ahead of them Asashio and Shimakaze bickered over something. Both were auditioning.

Further up, a mixture of Asashio and Yuudachi's sisters had grouped up. Exactly which ones came to audition Fubuki did not know save for Asagumo and Shiratsuyu, who had both loudly and frequently let it be known that they both intended to play George Washington.

Less frequently but no less loudly, Kagerou also planned to audition for George Washington. She and a group of friends stood further up the line. Further up from them stood what looked like the entire _Yuugumo_ -class. After them, the line bended around a corner, costing Fubuki her view of Yuudachi's rivals.

"Hey, Bucky are you over there?" Iowa's loud voice rang from down the hall.

"Bye, guys. I'll see you inside!" Leaving her friends, Fubuki hurried past the line to the job she had been 'volunteered' for. The door stood ajar when Fubuki arrived. From inside she could hear Iowa and Saratoga once again in hot debate.

"I know it's a musical." Saratoga's voice filtered out. "But even so it takes a certain sense of maturity, respectability! How are we supposed to judge which teenager with their pop song is good for any of these roles?"

"If they can fight a war, they can sing in a damn play. They have plenty of maturity! Mostly. Sort of."

"And what's wrong with pop? Idols sing pop all the time!"

"I'm just saying how am I supposed to pick a George Washington based on who sings AKB48 the best?"

Scooting in past curious destroyers, Fubuki closed the door just as Naka spotted her.

"Fubuki, there you are!"

Sitting behind a fold-up table with Saratoga, Naka lit up as Fubuki took in her surroundings. The small room, ostensibly for two people judging by the bunk bed, but as far as she knew only Iowa occupied it, smelled of wooden furniture and clean linen, much like Fubuki's own dorm room. The faint aroma of perfume more expensive than Fubuki could possibly afford though indicated Iowa's more enviable position in the naval hierarchy.

"Great, you're here!" The battleship herself appeared right beside Fubuki before the destroyer could apologize for her tardiness and steered her across the room. A laptop rested atop a desk by the window. A large pair of speakers facing away from the computer stood like miniature sentries on opposite corners of that desk. And right before said desk sat a chair which Iowa proceeded to deposit Fubuki on.

"Alright, sound girl, here's your workstation. Just take their music and play it during their audition, okay?" Iowa said.

"Uh, okay."

"Okay!" Naka cheered. "We are all ready to go! Let the auditions begin!"

Iowa took her seat at the table to the right of Saratoga just as Naka got up on the other side to let the first would-be cast member in. For someone wearing boots, the footsteps of the kimono clad girl were unusually light and deliberate. Hands clasped in front of her, she offered a demure bow to the panel before introducing herself.

"My name is Harukaze. I'm the third ship of the _Kamikaze_ -class destroyers. I would like to audition for the role of Hercules Mulligan."

Fubuki stared. The panel stared. Harukaze returned their stare with a gentle smile. The panel stared at each other, then back to Harukaze. Harukaze maintained her gentle smile.

"Uh, dear. I think this part might be a little extreme for you." Saratoga said.

"Yeah, don't you want to try something a little less sweary?" Iowa asked.

"Oh, no." Harukaze reassured them. "This is what I wanted. I know what the role requires."

A quick silent debate among the panel ended with a permissive shrug from Iowa. "Okay. Show us what you got."

"Thank you!" Harukaze clapped her hands in delight. "I hope I meet your expectations!"

Harukaze reached into her kimono and brought out something almost as anachronistic as her wardrobe; a music CD. Handing it over to Fubuki with a thank you, she returned to the center of the room in front of the panel's table.

Fubuki started the music. Harukaze's demeanor changed. The smile disappeared, shoulders straightened, and she shut her eyes in concentration. Then she leaned to her right, the hand on the same side shooting up making a peace sign.

" _Peace up, A-Town down!"_

The beat kicked off to a loud Hip-Hop number. Iowa's eyebrows lifted, her curiosity getting a sharp upsurge. Electronic music blared from the speakers. Harukaze bobbed her head and legs to the beat as she sang.

" _Yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah!"_

" _I was up in the club with my homies, trying to get a lil V-I"_

" _Keep it down on the low key"_

" _You should know how it feels, hey!"_

The panelists all sat up straighter as struck by lightning. After exchanging disbelieving glances, their eyes fixated on the last destroyer they expected to sing such an explicit song as she nailed the smooth dance moves that went with it. With a sultry expression, Harukaze beckoned forward the panelist directly in front of her, which happened to be Saratoga.

" _She's saying 'come get me!'"_

" _So I got up and followed her to the floor"_

" _She said baby let's go"_

" _When I told her I said"_

" _Yeah yeah"_

Shoulders and hips had minds of their own as they jumped with the music. Robotic arm gestures synched perfectly with the music. She held up one finger at:

" _She asked for one more dance and I'm Iike yeah"_

" _How the hell am I supposed to leave?"_

She finished the stanza with an expression like she was answering the most obvious question in the world. Hops and spins followed. Hands and feet following each other in perfect synchronization. A flurry of skirts and sleeves struggled to keep up with Harukaze's swift dance moves and their abrupt changes in direction. Fubuki found herself entranced, foot tapping to the chorus, which was the only part of the song she understood. Naka did not fare much better, only understanding half the lyrics and none of the idioms. Harukaze, however, helpfully supplied motions to go with the lyrics "milk the cow," causing Naka to almost choke on her own shock. Only Iowa and Saratoga understood full well what Harukaze meant by, "Birthday suits" and "Bend over to the front and touch your toes." Even without the modest destroyer's very immodest posing.

" _We want a lady in the streets"_

" _But a freak in the bed."_

Even without Harukaze's emphases on "freak" everyone understood that. Fubuki and Naka's jaws dropped, their eyes the size of saucers. Saratoga went red and strangled a sound about to burst from her throat by covering her own mouth with her hands. Iowa mouthed something that looked like "Holy shit." Her expression torn between shock and a huge grin.

More dancing; hips rolling and arms popping. Fubuki was amazed that the older destroyer looked so relaxed as she shuffled across the floor, twirling and rolling her neck, a move Fubuki was certain Harukaze would trip from dizziness over. Fubuki certainly would have.

" _Yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah! Yeah, yeah!"_

And then it ended. The panelists stared dumfounded. Across from them, Harukaze resumed her previous stance and smiled as if nothing had occurred during the last four minutes.

Naka regained her wits first. "Wow." She said. Feeling there was more she could offer, Naka racked her brain for something else to add. Nothing popped to mind other than a second; "Wow."

"That was… something." Saratoga offered, still trying to wrap her head around what she just witnessed.

"Uh, okay!" Iowa at last composed herself. "Great, really captured the spirit! We will, uh, definitely take you into consideration. Thanks for your time!"

Harukaze bowed, took her CD from Fubuki, and left the room. Not even a second after the door closed, Iowa turned triumphantly to Saratoga.

"Mature enough for you?"

* * *

Will Harukaze make the cut? Who will audition next? What surprising song will they use? Find out next time!

Harukaze's audition song: "Yeah", by Usher.


End file.
